Not So Bad After All
by UnaMariah1999
Summary: It's Tully's birthday and he's in the hospital recovering from 'getting shot up'.


_A/N: Sorry if the writing's a bit crappy on this; I wrote it late at night and did my best to edit it when I was actually awake enough. I wanted to publish it today, because today would have been Justin Tarr's 74th birthday, if he were still here with us. 3_

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Getting shot up was bad. Spending his birthday in the field hospital was worse. And spending his birthday lying flat on his back, surrounded by unattractive nurses was downright rotten. All in all, Tully decided, it was probably the worst birthday he'd ever had.

If that idiot Peterson hadn't managed to completely wreck the jeep in the few days he'd been driving it, hopefully the boys would be back soon to pick him up. Tully was stiff, sore, and still regretting any too quick movements he made, but eager to get out of the blasted bed and behind the wheel of his jeep.

He gingerly rolled over, treating his still bandaged side with caution, seeking a cool spot on the pillow. The thick adobe walls of the hospital didn't keep out all the heat, and the Libyan desert was hotter than a cat on a hot tin roof. Staring at the wall got boring quickly and he closed his eyes.

He remembered his twenty-first birthday, back home in Appalachia. Mama baked 'War Cake', because so many ingredients were so expensive, and she mixed powdered sugar, lemon juice, and water to make a thin white glaze. President Roosevelt ran for a third term that year, and for the first time, Tully could vote in an election. It was a good birthday. In stark contrast to this one, which was barely short of miserable.

Outside the hospital room, there was a commotion. A nurse's voice rose in outraged disbelief, but he couldn't make out the words. He turned his head, absently listening to find out what the stir was. After a few seconds, things quieted down and he let his head fall back onto the pillow. He'd hoped maybe Sarge and the others had come back to pick him up.

Boot heels clicked against the creaking board floor and he spoke without bothering to roll over. "Look, doc, when can I get outta bed? I'm goin' stir crazy here."

There was an amused snort and then: "Lucky we came when we did, then."

Tully recognized the voice and rolled over with a relieved smile. Troy and Moffitt stood by his bed, grinning down at him.

"Hey, Sarge," he said, pushing himself up on his elbows. Even though his wounds were mostly healed, the movement still hurt and he couldn't hide the flicker of pain that crossed his face. Moffitt moved quickly to shove the pillows behind Tully's shoulders. "Was that y'all I heard out there?" Tully nodded towards the doorway as he leaned back against the pillows.

Troy laughed. "Hitch made a pass at a nurse."

"She didn't appreciate it," Moffitt put in.

Tully chuckled. "Where's Hitch? Ain't he comin' in to ask how the sufferin' invalid's doing?"

"He's fetching something from the jeep," Troy said, pulling a chair up to the bedside and sitting on it backwards. "How about you? Feeling up to riding out of here with us?"

"Spread a little 'mayhem and despondency?'" Moffitt asked, his eyes twinkling.

"You bet," Tully said firmly. "Never been so bored in all my life."

"What, with all these pretty ladies around?" Troy asked with a note of sarcasm.

"I ain't saying nothing negative about the nurses," Tully said. He hesitated and smiled. "They've been real gentlemen."

Over the quiet laughter that followed, he heard Hitch call, "Sarge?"

Troy glanced over his shoulder. "You can come on in now, Hitch."

Hitch came into the room, grinning like an idiot, and carefully balancing a tray, which had a birthday cake on it.

Tully stared.

"Didn't think we'd forget your birthday, didja?" Hitch said cheerfully as he set the cake tray at the end of the bed and nudged Tully's feet out of the way.

A grin began to spread across Tully's face.

"Also, you probably ought to thank Hitch," Moffitt suggested. "He practically sold his soul to the cook in order to get her to bake this." Hitch shuddered dramatically and laughed.

Troy leaned over and slapped Tully lightly on the shoulder. "Why're we getting the silent treatment, Pettigrew?"

"I hope you like chocolate because that's what you're getting," Hitch said.

So Tully's birthday wasn't so bad after all.


End file.
